10 Cheap Sports Cars Under $10,000

Want cheap speed? Buy used. You won't get the latest tech or the most luxurious features, but you will satisfy that need for speed, and do it without having to sell body parts to pay off the note. The used-car values you see here were sourced from Kelly Blue Book and represent vehicles that have a condition rating of "excellent." You might have to spend a few bucks more to find a perfect example of some of these cars in your area, but they'll all be cheaper (and cooler) than most new economy cars.

2003 Ford Mustang Mach 1

2003 Ford Mustang Mach 1

Cost: $9968

If your mind is dancing with images of a classic 1969 fastback—stop. This is not that sports car. But this generation of pony did deliver brilliant acceleration back in the early 2000s (0 to 60 mph in a scant 5.3 seconds). It also offered good grip when cornering hard, but the ride and handling were anything but sophisticated. How does it compare with the GT, which you can get for a couple grand less? The Mach 1's V-8 produces about 40 more ponies, it's about a half-inch lower and is equipped with a sportier suspension; and don't forget that slick-looking shaker hood.

2000 Corvette Hardtop Coupe

2000 Corvette Hardtop Coupe

Cost: $9900

Offering the speed and power of a much more expensive sports car has always been the Corvette's signature. The C5 (1997 to 2004) was no exception—so if you can't afford the sizzling new Corvette Stingray, look into one of these fixed-roof hardtops. Because it was only offered for two years (1999 and 2000), the nontarga Vette offers a small piece of exclusivity in a popular car model. While no match for the 385-hp Z06 (which became the only fixed-roof model in 2001), the regular Corvette's LS1 V-8 engine cranked out 345 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. Besides being instantly responsive to the driver hitting the gas pedal, the engine was also capable of sprinting the car from 0 to 60 mph in under 5 seconds.